KR20200106400A - Indoor unit for air conditioner and method for controlling for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an indoor unit of an air conditioner and a control method thereof. The indoor unit of an air conditioner includes a humidification module that generates steam, mixes the generated steam with filtered air to generate humidified air, and sprays the air from an outlet through an independent flow path to provide humidified air to the room. In addition, the indoor unit of an air conditioner performs a humidification operation during a heating operation according to a smart care mode so that the humidified air is discharged along with the heat exchanged air, and automatically switches between a quick mode and a comfortable mode. Therefore, energy is saved by preventing frequent on/off, and the discharged air and humidified air are controlled by automatically switching the operation mode according to temperature and humidity, thereby effectively supplying air with controlled temperature and humidity.

Description

Indoor unit for air conditioner and method for controlling for the same}

The present invention relates to an indoor unit of an air conditioner and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to an indoor unit of an air conditioner capable of providing humidified air and a control method thereof.

In the separate air conditioner, an indoor unit is disposed indoors, an outdoor unit is disposed outdoors, and indoor air may be cooled, heated, or dehumidified through a refrigerant circulating the indoor unit and the outdoor unit.

The indoor unit of the detachable air conditioner includes a stand-type indoor unit installed upright on an indoor floor, a wall-mounted indoor unit hung on an indoor wall, and a ceiling type indoor unit installed on an indoor ceiling according to an installation type.

Conventional stand-type indoor units can dehumidify indoor air during cooling, but cannot humidify indoor air during heating.

In Korean Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-2013-0109738 (referred to as prior technology 1), a stand-type indoor unit equipped with a humidifying device capable of providing humidification is known. The stand-type indoor unit of the prior art 1 is provided with a humidifying device inside the main body forming the exterior of the indoor unit. In addition, the humidification device of prior art 1 has a structure in which water from a drain pan is stored in a water tank, the absorbing member is wetted through the stored water, and the absorbing member evaporates the absorbed water naturally.

The humidifier of Prior Art 1 does not use clean water, but uses condensed water flowing from the heat exchanger. The water stored in the water tank may contain a large amount of foreign substances separated from the surface of the heat exchanger, and there is a problem in that there is a very high probability that mold or bacteria will propagate from the foreign substances.

Since the humidification device of the prior art 1 evaporates water inside the body, the evaporated water may adhere to parts or inner walls of the body, causing mold or bacteria to grow inside the body. In addition, in the humidification device of Prior Art 1, water evaporates inside the body, and even if the blower fan is operated, all the moisture evaporated by the blower fan is not discharged to the room, and if the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger is low, There was a problem of being reattached to.

Since the humidity of the indoor air is low when the indoor temperature is low, it is common to need this humidification during heating, but the humidification device of Prior Art 1 provides humidification only when cooling because the humidifier of the prior art 1 provides humidification using the condensed water of the indoor heat exchanger. There is a problem in that it cannot provide humidification because condensed water is not generated during heating.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2013-0109738

An object of the present invention is to provide an indoor unit of an air conditioner capable of operating in at least one of cooling, heating, air cleaning, and humidification.

An object of the present invention is to provide an indoor unit of an air conditioner that sterilizes stored water or supplied water by heating and converts the sterilized water into steam to provide humidification.

In the present invention, an independent flow path structure capable of providing filtered air to the steam generator is arranged, steam is generated using filtered air, and humidified air generated in the steam generator can be provided to the discharge port through the independent flow path. The purpose is to provide an indoor unit of an air conditioner.

An object of the present invention is to provide an indoor unit of an air conditioner that provides humidified air using clean water by setting the usage time of stored water to be drained.

An object of the present invention is to provide an indoor unit of an air conditioner that sterilizes a flow path through which humidified air flows after humidification.

An object of the present invention is to set the operation according to the amount of water to be sensed, and to quickly provide humidified air through the preliminary operation.

An object of the present invention is to provide a comfortable environment in which temperature and humidity are controlled without unnecessary manipulation.

The problems of the present invention are not limited to the problems mentioned above, and other problems that are not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

In the present invention, since a humidifying assembly is disposed that generates steam, mixes the generated steam with filtered air to generate humidified air, and provides humidified air to the room by injecting the generated humidified air from a discharge port through an independent flow path. , Cooling, heating, air cleaning, or humidification may be operated in at least one mode.

The present invention generates humidified air by converting water stored in a steam generator into steam, a humidifying fan supplies the filtered air that has passed through the filter assembly to the steam generator, and a steam guide is the humidified air discharged from the steam generator. Since the air is guided to the discharge port through an independent flow path, the generated humidified air can be discharged directly into the room.

The present invention generates humidified air in a short time through preliminary humidification through boiling water during humidification operation, provides humidified air through humidification operation, and can remove residual moisture by performing water cooling in stages after humidification operation. have.

In the present invention, after the humidification operation, the steam sterilization operation is performed to sterilize the flow path through which the humidified air flows.

In the present invention, while discharging the heat-exchanged air, the operating mode is automatically switched according to the sensed temperature and humidity, thereby discharging the air whose temperature and humidity are controlled into the room.

The present invention can automatically drain water that has elapsed for a predetermined time or longer by counting the usage time of stored water.

The present invention includes a fan configured with a short-range fan assembly and a far-field fan assembly to discharge airflow; A cabinet assembly in which the suction port and the discharge port are arranged; A water tank disposed on the cabinet assembly and storing water; A steam generator disposed in the cabinet assembly, receiving water stored in the water tank, and converting water stored therein to steam to generate humidified air; A humidifying fan coupled to the steam generator and supplying filtered air to the steam generator; And while performing a heating operation by controlling the operation of the compressor and the fan, the steam generator is operated to discharge the humidified air together with the heat exchanged air, so that the operation is performed in a smart care mode in which temperature and humidity are constantly controlled. It includes a control unit to control.

In the present invention, when the smart care mode is set, starting the heating operation in the rapid mode; Discharging heat-exchanged airflow by operating both the near-field fan assembly and the far-field fan assembly; Converting the rapid mode to a comfortable mode when the indoor temperature reaches a desired temperature; Sensing indoor temperature and indoor humidity while operating in the comfortable mode; Performing a humidification operation by operating a steam generator so that the indoor humidity is maintained within a specified humidity range; And when the temperature difference between the indoor air temperature and the desired temperature reaches a predetermined value, releasing the comfort mode and switching to the rapid mode.

The indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the present invention has one or more of the following effects.

The present invention has the advantage that it can be used for four seasons by operating in at least one mode of cooling, heating, air cleaning, or humidification.

The present invention minimizes the possibility of contamination of the generated humidified air because it heats and sterilizes stored water or supplied water, converts the sterilized water into steam, and provides humidified air by mixing the sterilized steam and filtered air, There is an advantage of securing the reliability of humidified air.

The present invention can quickly generate humidified air through boiling water before generating humidified air.

In the present invention, since humidified air is supplied with sterilized steam and filtered air, there is an advantage of minimizing the growth of bacteria or mold.

The present invention has the advantage of minimizing the propagation of mold by sterilizing the flow path through which the humidified air flows through steam sterilization after the humidification operation.

The present invention has the advantage of minimizing the propagation of mold due to residual moisture by drying the steam generator and the humidification guide after humidification.

The present invention can save energy by preventing frequent on/off of the air conditioner.

According to the present invention, by automatically switching the operation mode according to the temperature and humidity to control the discharged air and humidified air, air in which the temperature and humidity are controlled can be effectively supplied.

The present invention has the advantage of generating clean humidified air by counting the use time of stored water and automatically draining the water so that it is not stored for more than a certain time, and minimizing the possibility of contamination of the humidified air.

In the present invention, since the humidified air is loaded and diffused by the wind discharged from each side discharge port, the humidified air can be flowed far away.

The present invention has the advantage that humidified air is discharged to the front of the discharged air discharged from the side discharge port, and the humidified air can be effectively diffused indoors by the flow of the discharged air.

1 is a perspective view of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the door assembly is removed from FIG. 1.
3 is a front view showing the interior of the lower cabinet shown in FIG. 2.
4 is a cross-sectional view showing the humidification assembly and the water tank shown in FIG. 3.
5 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a processor for controlling an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of a humidification module of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a diagram illustrating a flow of an operation for providing humidified air of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
9 is a diagram illustrating a flow of air according to an operation step of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
10 is a flowchart illustrating a water management method of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
11 is a flow chart showing a method of boiling water operation of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
12 is a flowchart illustrating a humidification operation method of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
13 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating a water type force of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
14 is a flowchart illustrating a method of automatically controlling temperature and humidity of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Advantages and features of the present invention, and a method of achieving them will become apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but may be implemented in a variety of different forms, and only these embodiments make the disclosure of the present invention complete, and are common knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains. It is provided to completely inform the scope of the invention to those who have, and the invention is only defined by the scope of the claims. The same reference numerals refer to the same components throughout the specification.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a perspective view of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the door assembly is removed from FIG. 1.

The air conditioner according to the present embodiment includes an indoor unit (not shown) connected to the indoor unit through a refrigerant pipe to circulate the refrigerant.

The outdoor unit includes a compressor (not shown) that compresses a refrigerant, an outdoor heat exchanger (not shown) that receives and condenses the refrigerant from the compressor, an outdoor fan (not shown) that supplies air to the outdoor heat exchanger, and the indoor unit And an accumulator (not shown) that supplies only gaseous refrigerant to the compressor after receiving the refrigerant discharged from the compressor.

The outdoor unit may further include a four-way valve (not shown) to operate the indoor unit in a cooling mode or a heating mode. When operating in the cooling mode, the refrigerant is evaporated in the indoor unit to cool the indoor air. When operating in the heating mode, the refrigerant is condensed in the indoor unit to heat the indoor air.

<<Indoor configuration>>

The indoor unit has a cabinet assembly 100 having an open front side and a suction port 101 formed at the rear side, and is assembled to the cabinet assembly 100, covers the front side of the cabinet assembly 100, and covers the cabinet assembly 100 A door assembly 200 that opens and closes the front of the), and a fan assembly 300, 400 disposed in the inner space S of the cabinet assembly 100 and discharges air from the inner space S into the room And, a heat exchange assembly 500 disposed between the fan assembly 300 and 400 and the cabinet assembly 100 to exchange heat exchange between the sucked indoor air and a refrigerant, and disposed in the cabinet assembly 100, A humidifying assembly (2000) providing moisture, a filter assembly (600) disposed on the rear surface of the cabinet assembly (100) and filtering air flowing through the inlet (101), and the filter assembly (600). It moves in the vertical direction and includes a moving cleaner 700 that separates and collects foreign substances in the filter assembly 600.

The indoor unit includes a suction port 101 disposed at a rear surface of the cabinet assembly 100, a side discharge port 301, 302 disposed at a side surface of the cabinet assembly 100, and the cabinet assembly 100 It includes a front discharge port 201 disposed in front of the.

The suction port 101 is disposed on the rear surface of the cabinet assembly 100.

The side discharge ports 301 and 302 are disposed on the left and right sides of the cabinet assembly 100, respectively. In this embodiment, when viewed from the front of the cabinet assembly 100, the side discharge port disposed on the left side is defined as the first side discharge port 301, and the side discharge port disposed on the right side is defined as the second side discharge port 302. .

The front discharge port 201 is disposed on the door assembly 200, and the door assembly 200 further includes a door cover assembly 1200 for automatically opening and closing the front discharge port 201.

The door cover assembly 1200 may be moved downward along the door assembly 200 after opening the front discharge port 201. The door cover assembly 1200 is movable in a vertical direction with respect to the door assembly 200.

After the door cover assembly 1200 is moved downward, a distant fan assembly 400 may pass through the door assembly 200 and move forward.

The fan assemblies 300 and 400 include a near fan assembly 300 and a far fan assembly 400. The heat exchange assembly 500 is disposed behind the short-range fan assembly 300 and the far-field fan assembly 400.

The heat exchange assembly 500 is disposed inside the cabinet assembly 100 and is positioned inside the suction port 101, and the heat exchange assembly 500 covers the suction port 101 and is disposed vertically.

The near-field fan assembly 300 and the far-field fan assembly 400 are disposed in front of the heat exchange assembly 500. The air sucked through the inlet 101 passes through the heat exchange assembly 500 and then flows to the near fan assembly 300 and the remote fan assembly 400.

The heat exchange assembly 500 is manufactured to have a length corresponding to the height of the near fan assembly 300 and the remote fan assembly 400.

The short-range fan assembly 300 and the far-range fan assembly 400 may be stacked in a vertical direction. In this embodiment, the far fan assembly 400 is disposed above the near fan assembly 300. The distant fan assembly 400 may be positioned on the upper side to allow discharged air to flow to a distant place in the room.

The near-field fan assembly 300 discharges air in a lateral direction with respect to the cabinet assembly 100. The short-range fan assembly 300 may provide an indirect wind to a user. The short-range fan assembly 300 simultaneously discharges air to the left and right sides of the cabinet assembly 100.

The far-field fan assembly 400 is positioned above the short-range fan assembly 300 and is disposed above the cabinet assembly 100.

The remote fan assembly 400 discharges air in a forward direction with respect to the cabinet assembly 100. The remote fan assembly 400 provides direct wind to the user. In addition, the remote fan assembly 300 improves circulation of indoor air by discharging air to a distant part of the indoor space.

In this embodiment, the remote fan assembly 400 is exposed to the user only during operation. When the remote fan assembly 400 is operated, the remote fan assembly 400 passes through the door assembly 200 and is exposed to the user. When the remote fan assembly 400 is not operated, the remote fan assembly 400 is concealed inside the cabinet assembly 100.

In particular, the remote fan assembly 400 may control the discharge direction of air. The remote fan assembly 400 may discharge air in an upper, lower, left, right, or diagonal direction with respect to the front of the cabinet assembly 100.

The door assembly 200 is located in front of the cabinet assembly 100 and is assembled with the private cabinet assembly 100.

The door assembly 200 may slide in a horizontal direction with respect to the cabinet assembly 100 and may expose part of the front surface of the cabinet assembly 100 to the outside.

The door assembly 200 may be moved in either a left or right direction to open the inner space S. In addition, the door assembly 200 may be moved in either a left or right direction to open only a part of the inner space S.

In this embodiment, opening and closing of the door assembly 200 consists of two steps.

The opening and closing of the first stage of the door assembly 200 is partially opened, and is for supplying water to the humidification assembly 2000, and only an area of the humidification assembly 2000 exposed to the water tank 2100 is exposed.

The two-stage opening and closing of the door assembly 200 is open to the maximum, and is for installation and repair. To this end, the door assembly 200 includes a door stopper structure that restricts opening and closing of the two stages.

The filter assembly 600 is disposed on the rear surface of the cabinet assembly 100. The filter assembly 600 may be rotated toward the side of the cabinet assembly 100 while being disposed on the rear surface of the cabinet assembly 100. The user can separate only the filter from the filter assembly 600 moved to the side of the cabinet assembly 100.

In this embodiment, the filter assembly 600 is composed of two parts, each of which can be rotated to the left or right.

The moving cleaner 700 is a device for cleaning the filter assembly 600. The moving cleaner 700 may clean the filter assembly 600 while moving in the vertical direction. The moving cleaner 700 may suck air while moving to separate foreign substances attached to the filter assembly 600, and the separated foreign substances are stored therein.

The moving cleaner 700 is installed in a non-indirect structure when the filter assembly 600 is rotated.

The humidification assembly 2000 provides moisture to the inner space S of the cabinet assembly 100, and the provided moisture may be discharged into the room through the near-field fan assembly. The humidification assembly 2000 includes a detachable water tank 2100.

In this embodiment, the humidification assembly 2000 is disposed below the cabinet assembly 100. A space in which the humidification assembly 2000 is disposed and a space in which the heat exchange assembly 500 is disposed are partitioned.

The humidification assembly 2000 performs humidification using air filtered through the filter assembly 600 and sterilized steam, thereby preventing harmful substances such as bacteria or mold from contacting the water tank.

<<Cabinet assembly structure>>

The cabinet assembly 100 includes a base 130 mounted on the ground, a lower cabinet 120 disposed above the base 130, and an upper cabinet 110 disposed above the lower cabinet 120. Include.

A short-range fan assembly 300, a long-range fan assembly 400, and a heat exchange assembly 500 are disposed inside the upper cabinet 110.

A humidifying assembly 2000 is disposed inside the lower cabinet 120.

The door assembly 200 is disposed in front of the cabinet assembly 100, and the door assembly 200 may slide with respect to the cabinet assembly 100 in a horizontal direction.

When the door assembly 200 is moved, part of the left or right side of the cabinet assembly 100 may be exposed to the outside.

A discharge grill 150 is disposed on the front edge of the upper cabinet 110. The discharge grill 340 is located on the rear side of the door assembly 200.

The discharge grill 150 may be manufactured integrally with the upper cabinet 110. In this embodiment, the discharge grill 150 is separately manufactured through injection molding and then assembled in the upper cabinet 110.

In this embodiment, the cover 160 is disposed in front of the upper cabinet 110 and the lower cabinet 120, and blocks the air inside the cabinet assembly 100 from directly contacting the door assembly 200.

When cold air directly contacts the door assembly 200, condensation may occur and there is a problem that negatively affects the electric circuit constituting the door assembly 200.

So, the cover 160 is disposed in front of the upper cabinet 110 and the lower cabinet 120, and the air inside the cabinet assembly 100 through the cover 160 is discharged from the front outlet 201 or the side outlet 301 ( 302).

The cover 160 includes an upper cover 162 covering the front surface of the upper cabinet 110, a lower cover 164 covering the front surface of the lower cabinet 120, and the remote fan assembly 400 It includes a far fan cover (166) covering the front of the.

When the first stage of the door assembly 200 is opened, only the lower cover 164 in which the water tank opening 167 is formed is exposed to the user, and when the second stage is opened, the open surface 169 is also exposed to the user.

The door assembly 200 is slid to the left and right by the operation of the door slide module 1300. A state in which the entire water tank opening 167 is exposed by the sliding movement of the door assembly 200 is defined as a first-stage open, and a state in which the open surface 169 is exposed is defined as a second-stage open.

When the first stage is opened, the exposed front surface of the cabinet assembly 100 is defined as a first open surface OP1, and when the second stage is opened, the exposed front surface of the cabinet assembly is defined as a second open surface OP2.

<<Composition of short-range fan assembly>>

The short-range fan assembly 300 is a configuration for discharging air in a lateral direction with respect to the cabinet assembly 100. The short-range fan assembly 300 provides indirect wind to the user.

The near-field fan assembly 300 is disposed in front of the heat exchange assembly 500.

The short-range fan assembly 300 is installed by stacking a plurality of fans 310 in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, three fans 310 are provided and are stacked in the vertical direction.

In this embodiment, the fan 310 is a four-flow type centrifugal fan. The fan 310 sucks air in the axial direction and discharges the air in the circumferential direction.

<<Composition of remote fan assembly>>

The remote fan assembly 400 is a configuration for discharging air forward with respect to the cabinet assembly 100. The remote fan assembly 400 provides direct wind to the user.

The remote fan assembly 400 is disposed in front of the heat exchange assembly 500. The far-field fan assembly 400 is stacked on the upper side of the near-field fan assembly 300.

The remote fan assembly 400 discharges air through the front discharge port 201 formed in the door assembly 200. The remote fan assembly 400 provides a structure capable of rotating in an up, down, left, right or diagonal direction. The remote fan assembly 400 may improve circulation of indoor air by discharging air away from the indoor space.

The remote fan assembly 400 further includes a tilting assembly for freely rotating the discharge grill 450 relative to the fan housing assembly in all directions, such as upper, lower, left, right, and diagonal.

<<<Composition of door assembly>>>

The door assembly 200 includes a front panel 210 having a front discharge port 201 formed therein, a door cover assembly 1200, a door slide module 1300, and a camera module 1900 for photographing an indoor image. Include.

The front discharge port 201 is disposed on the front panel 210 and is opened in the front-rear direction.

The display module 1500 may be disposed on the rear surface of the front panel 210 and transmit visual information to a user through the front panel.

In contrast, the display module 1500 may be partially exposed through the front panel 210, and visual information may be provided to the user through the exposed display.

The door cover assembly 1200 is a configuration for opening and closing the front discharge port 201 disposed in the door assembly 200.

The door cover assembly 1200 opens the front discharge port 201 to expand the movement path of the remote fan assembly 400. The far fan assembly 400 may protrude outside the door assembly 200 through the open front discharge port 201.

The door cover assembly 1200 is located on the moving path of the far fan assembly 400 and is moved out of the moving path of the far fan assembly 400 when the front discharge port 201 is opened.

In the first front opening, the far fan assembly 400 is covered by the door cover 1210 and is not exposed to the user. In the first front opening, air inside the cabinet may be discharged into the interior through a gap between the door cover 1210 and the front panel 210.

When the first front is open, the far fan assembly 400 is positioned behind the door cover 1210. When the first front is open, the door cover 1210 is located behind the front panel body 212.

In the second front opening, the door cover 1210 is located under the front discharge port 201 and the remote fan assembly 400. When the second front is open, the door cover 1210 is located behind the front panel body 212.

In the second front opening, the far fan assembly 400 is exposed to the user through the front discharge port 201. In the second front-open, the far fan assembly 400 is moved forward and may protrude out of the front discharge port 201, and the far fan assembly 400 protrudes out of the front panel 210 Air can be discharged toward the room.

The door slide module 1300 is for moving the door assembly 200 in the left-right direction of the cabinet assembly 100. The door slide module 1300 may reciprocate the door assembly 200 in the left and right directions.

The door slide module 1300 is installed in either the door assembly 200 or the cabinet assembly 100 and implements slide movement through mutual interference with the other.

The door detection sensor 207 detects a slide movement distance of the door assembly 200. The position sensing factor 208 is disposed on the door assembly 200.

The position detection factor 208 corresponds to the door detection sensor 207. The position sensing factor 208 is disposed on the rear surface of the door assembly 200, and specifically, is installed on the rear surface of the loafer panel module 1120.

In this embodiment, a hall sensor and a permanent magnet are used to detect the left and right movement distance of the door assembly 200. So, the door sensor 207 is a hall sensor, and the position sensor 208 is a permanent magnet.

Unlike the present embodiment, a photosensor is used as the door detection sensor, and a rib disposed on the door assembly may be used as a position detection factor. When the rib blocks the optical signal of the photosensor, the left and right movement distance of the door assembly may be determined.

<<Camera module composition>>

The camera module 1900 is disposed on the door assembly 200 (the upper panel module 1110 in this embodiment) and is selectively operated. The camera module 1900 is exposed outside the door assembly 200 only during operation, and is hidden inside the door assembly 200 when it is not operated.

3 is a front view showing the interior of the lower cabinet shown in FIG. 2. 4 is a view showing the humidification assembly and the water tank shown in FIG. 3.

<<<Composition of humidification assembly>>>

The humidification assembly 2000 provides moisture on the discharge passages of the fan assemblies 300 and 400, and the provided moisture may be discharged indoors. The humidification assembly 2000 may be selectively operated by an operation signal from the control unit.

In this embodiment, the moisture supplied from the humidification assembly 2000 may be directly supplied to the side discharge ports 301 and 302. The moisture supplied from the humidification assembly 2000 may be in an atomized state or in a steam state. In this embodiment, the humidification assembly 2000 converts water from the water tank 2100 into steam and supplies it to the discharge passage.

In the present embodiment, the humidification assembly 2000 is disposed below the inside of the cabinet assembly 100, and is specifically located inside the lower cabinet 120.

The humidification assembly 2000 is installed on the base 130 and wrapped through the lower cabinet 120. A drain pan 140 is positioned above the humidification assembly 2000, and the steam generated by the humidification assembly 2000 flows directly to the side outlets 301 and 302 through a steam guide (not shown). That is, the space in which the humidification assembly 2000 is installed and the space inside the upper cabinet 110 are partitioned.

The humidification assembly (2000) is disposed in the cabinet assembly (100), a water tank (2100) in which water is stored, and the water from the cabinet assembly (100) and stored in the water tank (2100) is supplied. A steam generator 2300 for generating humidified air by converting the water stored therein to steam, and disposed in the cabinet assembly 100, coupled with the steam generator 2300, and the filter assembly 600 A humidifying fan 2500 that supplies the filtered air that has passed through to the steam generator 2300, and the humidified air that is disposed in the cabinet assembly 100 and generated by the steam generator 2300 is supplied to the cabinet assembly through an independent flow path. It includes a steam guide 2400 that guides to the side discharge ports 301 and 302 of (100).

In addition, the humidification assembly is disposed in the cabinet assembly 100, the water tank 2100 is detachably mounted, and a water supply assembly providing water from the water tank 2100 to the steam generator 2300 ( 2200) and the cabinet assembly 100 or the water supply assembly 2200, selectively tilting the water tank 2100 forward according to an electrical signal, and moving the water tank tilted forward to its original position. A tilting assembly to return, and a drain assembly connected to the water supply assembly 2200 and the steam generator 2300 and draining water from the water supply assembly 2200 and the steam generator 2300 to the outside.

<<Composition of water tank>>

The water tank 2100 is exposed to the outside when the first stage of the door assembly 200 is opened, and is not exposed to the outside when the door assembly 200 is not opened.

The door assembly 200 is slid to the left and right by the operation of the door slide module 1300. A state in which the entire water tank opening 167 is exposed by the sliding movement of the door assembly 200 is defined as a first-stage opening, and a state in which the open surface 169 is exposed is defined as a second-stage opening.

In this embodiment, at least a part of the front surface of the water tank 2100 is formed of a material that allows viewing of water inside. The water tank 2100 is located on the first open surface OP1, and more specifically, is located on the water tank opening 167. The water tank 2100 is inserted into the lower cabinet 120 through the water tank opening 167.

The water tank 2100 has a tank lower body 2110 mounted on the water supply assembly 2200, upper and lower sides are opened, and coupled to an upper side of the tank lower body 2110, and the kangaroo body ( The lower side is closed by 2110, the tank middle body 2120 in which water is stored, and the upper and lower sides are opened to form a water tank opening 2101, and on the upper side of the tank middle body 2120 The combined tank upper body 2130, the water tank handle 2140 rotatably assembled to the tank upper body 2130, and the water stored in the tank lower body 2110 are supplied to the water It includes a water tank valve 2150 selectively supplied to the assembly 2200.

The tank lower body 2110 provides the bottom of the water tank 2100. The tank lower body 2110 has a valve hole 2111 penetrating in the vertical direction, and the water tank valve 2150 is assembled in the valve hole 2111. The valve hole 2111 is located at the rear side when viewed from the side of the water tank 2100.

The distance from the center of the valve hole 2111 to the front of the water tank (the tank front wall described later in this embodiment) is the rear surface of the water tank from the center of the valve hole 2111 (a first to be described later in this embodiment). The distance to the rear wall) is formed longer. By placing the valve hole 2111 at the rear side of the water tank 2100, when the tilting assembly is operated, leakage of the water tank valve 2150 can be minimized.

When the tilting assembly is operated, the water tank valve 2150 is quickly closed only when the water tank 2100 is quickly separated from the water supply assembly 2200. Since the water tank 2100 is tilted forward with respect to the lower end, the water tank valve 2150 is preferably positioned at the rear side.

The tank upper body 2130 is coupled to an upper end of the tank middle body 2120. The tank upper body 2130 is formed in a rectangular shape when viewed from a top view.

The tank upper body 2130 is opened in a vertical direction. The tank upper body 2130 forms an upper body opening 2131 communicating with the middle body upper opening 2121. The middle body opening 2121 is disposed under the upper body opening 2131.

The water tank handle 2140 is rotatably assembled to the tank upper body 2130.

The water tank handle 2140 is disposed inside the tank upper body 2130 and is hidden from the user when received in the lower cabinet 120.

The water tank valve 2150 functionally functions as a check valve, and is structurally optimized for the structure of this embodiment.

When the water tank valve 2150 installed in the water tank 2100 is mounted on the water supply assembly 2200, the lower end of the valve core 2152 comes into contact with the valve supporter 2250 to be described later.

When the valve core 2152 is in contact with and supported by the valve supporter 2250, the water tank valve 2150 including the diaphragm 2154 is located at the valve supporter 2250, and the water tank valve 2150 Except for the remaining configuration of the water tank 2100 is moved to the lower side.

So, when the water tank valve 2150 is supported by the valve supporter 2250, the diaphragm 2154 opens the valve hole 2111. On the other hand, when the water tank 2100 is separated from the water supply assembly 2200, the diaphragm 2154 closes the valve hole 2111 by the pressure of water.

<<Composition of water supply assembly>>

The water supply assembly 2200 supplies water from the water tank 2100 to the steam generator 2300. The water supply assembly 2200 supplies water to the steam generator 2300 by opening the water tank valve 2150 of the water tank 2100 only when the water tank 2100 is mounted.

The water supply assembly 2200 supports the water tank 2100 and provides a flow path flowing from the water tank 2100 to the steam generator 2300. In addition, the water supply assembly 2200 may open and close the water tank valve 2150 according to the level of water stored in the steam generator 2300. In this embodiment, the opening and closing of the water tank valve 2150 is implemented through a mechanical arrangement instead of being operated by an electrical signal. When the opening and closing of the water tank valve 2150 is implemented in an electric manner, electrical wiring accordingly may be exposed to moisture or water, resulting in malfunction and safety problems.

In the present embodiment, since the opening and closing of the water tank valve 2150 is implemented through a mechanical coupling relationship, it is possible to minimize the use of electricity in a portion in contact with water, thereby preventing malfunction and safety accidents.

In addition, the water supply assembly 2200 has a function of providing a tilting angle of the water tank 2100 when the water tank 2100 is tilted by the tilting assembly. In addition, the water supply assembly 2200 suppresses excessive tilting of the water tank 2100.

The water supply assembly 2200 is disposed in the cabinet assembly 100 (base in this embodiment), temporarily stores water supplied from the water tank 2100 in a supply chamber 2211, and stores the supply chamber 2211 ), the supply chamber housing 2210 that supplies the water stored in the steam generator 2300 and the supply chamber 2211 of the supply chamber housing 2210, and at the level of water stored in the supply chamber 2211 The supply plotter 2220 moves in the vertical direction according to the above, and is disposed above the supply chamber housing 2210, covers the upper side of the supply chamber 2211, and supplies water supplied from the water tank 2100 to the supply. A supply support body 2230 that provides a tilting angle by supporting the water tank 2100 when the water tank 2100 is tilted is formed, and a part of the supply flow path 2231 that guides the chamber 2211 is formed, and the It is disposed on the supply support body 2230, and when the water tank 2100 is mounted, it comes into contact with the water tank valve 2150 of the water tank 2100 to open the water tank valve 2150, and the water tank valve A valve supporter 2250 providing a part of the supply passage 2231 for guiding the water discharged from the 2150 to the supply chamber 2111, and the water tank 2100 are detachably mounted,

It is disposed between the water tank 2100 and the supply support body 2230, can rotate relative to the supply support body 2230 when the water tank is tilted, and the water supply valve of the water tank is disposed to pass through. A supply tilting cover 2260 that provides water from a water tank to the supply chamber 2111, and the supply tilting cover 2260 and the supply support body 2230 are disposed between the supply tilting cover 2260 and the supply. The supply is connected to the support body 2230, the valve supporter 2250 is disposed therein, and the water supplied from the supply tilting cover 2260 is supplied through the supply flow path 2231 of the supply support body 2230. It includes a water bellows 2240 that guides to the chamber 2211.

The water tank valve 2150 is disposed under the water tank 2100, a valve supporter 2250 and a supply support body 2230 are disposed under the water tank valve 2150, and the valve supporter ( The supply plotter 2220 is disposed below 2250, and the supply plotter 2220 is moved vertically within the height of the supply chamber 2211.

The water from the water tank 2100 flows to the supply chamber 2211 through the water tank valve 2150, the water bellows 2240, and the supply flow path 2231. The supply chamber 2211 temporarily stores supplied water, and the water flows to the steam generator 2300 by potential energy due to its own weight.

<Composition of supply chamber housing>

The supply chamber housing 2210 is installed on the upper side of the base 130 of the cabinet assembly 100. The supply chamber housing 2210 temporarily stores water supplied from the water tank and provides the stored water to the steam generator 2300. The supply chamber housing 2210 provides an installation space for the supply plotter 2220, and the supply plotter 2220 may be moved up and down in the supply chamber housing 2210.

In order to tilt the water tank 2100, the tilting assembly utilizes the installation structure of the supply chamber housing 2210. The supply chamber housing 2210 is a component to which a tilting assembly to be described later is assembled, and a structure thereof will be described in more detail when describing the tilting assembly.

When the humidification assembly 2000 is not used (for example, in the summer when the humidity is high or the storage period is long in the water tank), all water in the humidifying assembly 2000 including the water tank 2100 is It does not remain, and is drained out.

To this end, the present embodiment provides a structure in which water supplied from the water tank 2100 does not remain in the process of flowing, and can be moved by its own weight.

The valve supporter 2250 is disposed under the water tank valve 2150. When the water tank 2100 is mounted on the water supply assembly 2200, the valve supporter 2250 interferes with the water tank valve 2150 and opens the water tank valve 2150.

The valve supporter 2250 has a pointed upper side and supports the valve core 2152 of the water tank valve 2150.

When the water tank 2100 is mounted on the water supply assembly 2200, the valve supporter 2250 interferes with the valve core 2152 to push the water tank valve 2150 upward, and the same process is performed. Through the valve hole 2111 is opened.

When the valve hole 2111 is opened, the water in the water tank 2100 flows to the supply support body 2230.

In this embodiment, since the water tank 2100 is tilted forward, the second supporter part 2236b provides a tilting slope 2237 having a high rear and a low front. The tilting inclined surface 2237 is formed on the upper side of the second supporter part 2236b. The tilting inclined surface 2237 is formed to be inclined from the rear toward the front and lower sides.

The tilting inclined surface 2237 forms a predetermined tilting angle with the bottom surface of the water tank 2100. The tilting inclined surface 2237 may be formed in a range of 10 degrees or more and 45 degrees or less. When the water tank 2100 is supported on the tilting inclined surface 2237, the water tank 2100 should not be overturned. In addition, when the water tank 2100 is supported on the tilting inclined surface 2237, the water tank handle 2140 is exposed to the user and must be rotated upward to be deployed.

The water bellows 2240 is formed of an elastic material. The water bellows 2240 is fixed to the supply tilting cover 2260 and the supply support body 2230, and provides water discharged from the water tank to the supply support body 2230.

The water bellows 2240 prevents water discharged from the water tank 2100 from leaking. When the water tank 2100 is tilted, the water bellows 2240 is elastically deformed to increase. The water bellows 2240 connects the supply tilting cover 2260 and the supply support body 2230 even when the water tank is tilted.

In this embodiment, the water bellows 2240 is formed in a corrugated pipe shape.

The supply plotter 2220 is disposed in the supply chamber 2211 and moves in the vertical direction according to the level of the supply chamber 2211.

When the water level of the supply chamber 2211 rises above the reference value, the supply plotter 2220 closes the valve hole 2258. When the valve hole 2258 is closed, water is not supplied to the supply chamber 2211, and water in the supply chamber 2211 is moved to the steam generator 2300 through the chamber housing pipe 2214.

As water moves from the supply chamber 2211 to the steam generator 2300, the water level in the supply chamber 2211 decreases, and the height of the supply plotter 2220 decreases, so that the valve hole 2258 can be opened. have.

In this embodiment, water flowing from the water tank 2100 to the supply chamber 2111 undergoes two intermittent processes.

First, the water tank valve 2150 opens and closes the valve hole 2111 to regulate the flow of water. Next, the floater valve 2270 opens and closes the middle hole 2258 to regulate the flow of water.

Since the water discharged from the water tank 2100 flows to the supply chamber 2111 through two opening and closing processes, oversupply of water can be prevented. Specifically, since the supply plotter 2220 additionally controls the supply of water, oversupply of water to the steam generator 2300 can be prevented.

In addition, a water level sensor for sensing the level of water may be disposed inside the supply chamber 2211.

<<Composition of the steam generator>>

The steam generator 2300 receives water from the water supply assembly 2200 to generate steam. Since the steam generator 2300 generates steam by heating water, sterilized steam may be provided.

The steam generator 2300 is disposed in the steam housing 2310, the steam housing 2310, a steam heater 2320 that generates heat by an applied power source, and the steam housing 2310. , A water supply part 2314 connected to the chamber housing pipe 2214 of the water supply assembly 2200 to receive water, and disposed in the steam housing 2310, connected to the steam guide 2400, and internally A steam discharge unit 2316 for supplying the steam generated in the steam guide 2400 and disposed in the steam housing 2310, connected to the humidifying fan 2500, and connected to the humidifying fan 2500 It includes an air intake part 2318 for receiving filtered air inside the cabinet assembly 100.

The steam housing 2310 has a structure sealed to the outside. Only the water supply part 2314 and the steam discharge part 2316 communicate with the inside of the steam housing 2310. The steam housing 2310 is installed on the base 130.

In this embodiment, the water supply part 2314 is disposed in the lower steam housings 2310 and 2312, and the steam discharge part 2316 is disposed in the upper team housings 2310 and 2311.

The water supply part 2314 protrudes from the upper housing 2310 and 2311 toward the water supply assembly 2300. The water supply part 2314 is connected to the chamber housing pipe 2214 and is disposed in the transverse direction. In this embodiment, the water supply part 2314 has a shape of a pipe with an empty inside.

The water inside the supply chamber 2211 flows into the water supply unit 2314 by its own weight. To this end, the water supply part 2314 is disposed lower than the chamber housing pipe 2214. In particular, the water supply part 2314 is disposed equal to or lower than the outer end 2214b of the chamber housing pipe 2214.

In particular, the water supply part 2314 is connected to the lowermost side of the lower steam housings 2310 and 2312. In this embodiment, a separate valve is not disposed in the water supply unit 2314.

Since the water supply part 2314 and the chamber housing pipe 2214 are connected to each other, the water level of the supply chamber 2211 and the water level of the steam housing 2310 may be formed equally.

Specifically, when sufficient water is supplied to the inside of the steam housing 2310, the water level of the supply chamber 2211 and the water level of the steam housing 2310 are formed equal, and the supply of the water supply assembly 2200 The plotter 2220 rises as the water level rises, and the supply plotter 2220 may close the middle hole 2258 through which water is supplied.

In this embodiment, the chamber housing pipe 2214 is disposed within the height of the steam heater 2320. The chamber housing pipe 2214 is disposed below the maximum water level of the steam generator 2300.

The middle hole 2258 is disposed higher than the maximum water level of the steam generator 2300. In this embodiment, the middle hole 2258 forms an upper end of the steam heater 2320 and a separation distance H.

The steam discharge part 2316 communicates with the inside of the upper team housings 2310 and 2311. The steam discharge part 2316 passes through the upper team housing 2311 in the vertical direction. The steam discharge part 2316 protrudes upward from the upper surface of the upper team housing 2310 and 2311 for connection with the steam guide 2400.

The air intake part 2318 is disposed in the steam housing 2310, and in more detail, it is disposed in the upper team housings 2310 and 2311. The air intake part 2318 communicates with the inside of the upper team housings 2310 and 2311, and air supplied from the humidification fan 2500 is introduced.

The air intake part 2318 protrudes upward from the upper side of the upper housing 2310 and 2311 for connection with the humidification fan 2500.

In this embodiment, the air suction part 2318 is disposed behind the steam discharge part 2316. The air intake part 2318 is disposed closer to the humidification fan 2500 than the steam discharge part 2316.

The air intake part 2318 is connected to the humidifying fan 2500 and receives filtered air from the humidifying fan 2500. The air intake unit 2318 passes through the filter assembly 600 and receives the filtered air. The filtered air supplied to the air intake unit 2318 is introduced into the steam housing 2310 and discharged to the steam discharge unit 2316 together with the steam inside the steam housing 2310.

When general air, not filtered air, flows into the steam housing 2310, there is a very high possibility that mold or the like will propagate inside the steam housing 2310.

In this embodiment, since the air supplied to the inside of the steam housing 2310 is limited to filtered air, when the steam generator 2300 is not operated, it is possible to minimize contamination of the inside with bacteria or mold.

In the steam generator 2300 according to the present embodiment, the air flow of the humidifying fan 2500 is supplied to the inside to push the steam out of the steam housing 2310, so that the flow pressure of the steam can be maximized.

Unlike the present embodiment, when the humidifying fan is configured to suck steam outside the steam housing 2310, the steam inside the steam housing 2310 may not be discharged smoothly.

If the steam generated by the steam generator 2300 does not flow quickly to the side discharge ports 301 and 302, condensation may occur during the movement of the steam.

In this embodiment, since the humidification fan 2500 supplies air from the air intake side of the steam generator 2300, condensation generated during the flow of steam can be minimized. In addition, in this embodiment, since the air of the humidifying fan 2500 pushes the steam inside the steam housing 2310 out of the steam housing 2310, a sufficient air flow rate can be ensured.

In particular, in the case of the present embodiment, even if condensation occurs during the flow of steam, condensed water may be spontaneously evaporated by the flow rate of air because the flow rate of air for flowing the steam is sufficiently secured.

The steam guide 2400 supplies steam from the steam generator 2300 to a discharge passage. The discharge passage includes an air passage flowing by the far-field fan assembly 400 and an air passage flowing by the near-field fan assembly 300.

In this embodiment, the discharge passage is disposed in the cabinet assembly 100 and is defined as before air that has passed through the filter assembly 600 is discharged out of the cabinet assembly 100.

In this embodiment, the steam guide 2400 guides the steam generated by the steam generator 2300 to the side discharge ports 301 and 302. The steam guide 2400 provides a separate flow path separated from the air inside the cabinet assembly 100. The steam guide 2400 may be in the form of a pipe or a duct.

In this embodiment, the diffuser is disposed at the side discharge port, but may be installed at the front discharge port. That is, the installation position of the diffuser is not limited to the side discharge port.

The side discharge ports 301 and 302 discharge air toward the front right and the front left, and the humidified air is discharged to the front of the side discharge ports 301 and 302. When the humidified air is discharged to the front of the side discharge ports 301 and 302, the humidified air can flow farther.

The humidification assembly 2000 according to the present embodiment does not depend only on the output of the humidification fan 2500 for the reach of moisture when providing humidification. When relying only on the output of the humidifying fan 2500 to flow the moisture further, the capacity of the humidifying fan 2500 must be increased or the humidifying fan 2500 must be operated at high speed.

In this embodiment, when the humidifying assembly 2000 is operated, moisture may be loaded into the airflow of the near-field fan assembly 300 to allow it to flow further. In this case, even when a humidifying fan 2500 having a small output capacity is used, humidification can be provided to a far place in the room.

If the diffuser outlet 2431 is disposed in front of the side discharge ports 301 and 302 than in the rear, the humidified air may flow farther.

<<Composition of humidifying fan>>

The humidification fan 2500 sucks the filtered air that has passed through the filter assembly 600 and supplies it to the steam generator 2300, and the filtered air together with the steam generated by the steam generator 2300 is supplied to the steam guide 2400. Flow.

The humidification fan 2500 generates an air flow for discharging steam and filtered air (referred to as humidified air in this embodiment) from the diffusers 2430 and 2440.

The humidification fan 2500 sucks the filtered air that has passed through the filter assembly 600 and guides the suctioned filtered air to the steam generator 2300, and the humidification fan housing 2530 at the lower side A clean suction duct 2540 connected to 2530 and disposed in front of the filter assembly 600 to provide filtered air that has passed through the filter assembly 600 to the humidification fan housing 2530, and the A humidifying impeller 2510 disposed inside the humidifying fan housing 2530 and flowing the filtered air of the humidifying fan housing 2530 to the steam generator 2300, and disposed in the humidifying fan housing 2530, the It includes a humidification motor 2520 for rotating the humidification impeller 2510.

The clean suction duct 2540 provides filtered air that has passed through the filter assembly 600 to the humidification fan housing 2530.

Since the filter assembly 600 is disposed in the upper cabinet 110 and the humidifying fan 2500 is disposed in the lower cabinet 120, there is a difference in height. That is, the filter assembly 600 is located above the humidification fan 2500.

In particular, the filtered air that has passed through the filter assembly 600 flows to the near-field fan assembly 300, and the filtered air does not flow through the lower cabinet 120 or is difficult to flow. Specifically, since there is no portion of the lower cabinet 120 from which air is discharged, filtered air is not flowed or circulated into the lower cabinet 120 unless air is artificially supplied.

In addition, since the drain pan 140 that supports the heat exchange assembly and collects condensate is disposed under the upper cabinet 110, there is no restriction on the flow of the filtered air inside the upper cabinet 110 to the lower cabinet 120. many.

The upper end of the clean suction duct 2540 is located inside the upper cabinet 110, and the lower end is located inside the lower cabinet 120. That is, the clean suction duct 2540 provides a flow path for flowing the filtered air inside the upper cabinet 110 into the lower cabinet 120.

The humidifying fan housing 2530 is coupled to a clean suction duct 2540, filtered air is sucked, and a first humidifying fan housing 2550 having a first suction space 2551 formed therein, and the first humidifying fan It is coupled to the housing 2550 to receive filtered air from the first humidifying fan housing 2550, a second suction space 2451 is formed therein, and the humidifying impeller 2510 is disposed therein, and the A second humidifying fan housing (2560) for guiding filtered air to the steam generator (2300) by the operation of the humidifying impeller (2510), and formed in the first humidifying fan housing (2550), the first suction space ( 2551) and formed in the first suction opening surface 2552, which is open toward one side (upper side in this embodiment), and the second humidifying fan housing 2560, and the second suction space 2551 and The second suction opening 2562 communicated and opened toward the other side (lower side in this embodiment), the first humidifying fan housing 2550 and the second humidifying fan housing 2560, and the first A first suction space discharge unit 2553 communicating the suction space 2551 and the second suction space 2551, and a motor disposed in the second humidifying fan housing 2560 and in which the humidifying motor 2520 is installed It includes an installation part 2565.

The first humidification fan housing 2550 has a first suction opening 2552 toward the upper side. The clean suction duct 2540 is connected to the suction opening 2552. On the other hand, the second humidification fan housing 2560 has a second suction opening 2562 toward the lower side.

In this embodiment, the opening direction of the first suction opening surface 2552 and the opening direction of the second suction opening surface 2252 are opposite.

The lower side 2554 of the first humidification fan housing 2550 is formed in a round shape, and is located below the first suction space discharge part 2553. The upper side surface 2564 of the second humidifying fan housing 2560 is formed in a round shape, and is positioned above the first suction space discharge part 2553.

The motor shaft (not shown) of the humidification motor 2520 passes through the second humidification fan housing 2560 and is assembled to the humidification impeller 2510.

The motor installation part 2565 protrudes from the second humidification fan housing 2560 to the rear, and a humidification motor 2520 is inserted into the motor installation part 2565 to be installed.

The first humidifying fan housing 2550 in which the first suction space 2551 is formed and the second humidifying fan housing 2560 in which the second suction space 2601 is formed may be manufactured and then assembled.

In this embodiment, in order to simplify the assembly structure and reduce the manufacturing cost, the humidifying fan housing 2530 is manufactured by assembling 3 parts.

The humidification fan housing 2530 is formed to surround the front of the first suction space 2551 and constitutes a part of the first humidification fan housing 2550, and the It is formed to surround the rear of the first suction space 2551, is formed to surround the front of the second suction space 2251, the first suction space discharge part 2553 is formed, and the first humidification fan housing ( The second humidifying fan housing part 2532 constituting the rest of the 2550 and a part of the second humidifying fan housing 2560, and formed to surround the rear of the second suction space 2601, and the motor installation part ( 2565 is disposed and includes a third housing part 2533 constituting the remainder of the second humidifying fan housing 2560.

Since the second humidifying fan housing unit 2532 is commonly used in the first humidifying fan housing 2550 and the second humidifying fan housing 2560, manufacturing cost can be reduced by simplifying the number of parts.

A first suction space discharge part 2553 is formed in the second humidification fan housing part 2532. The first suction space discharge part 2553 is formed to penetrate the second humidification fan housing part 2532 in the front and rear direction.

The first suction space discharge part 2553 protrudes toward the humidification impeller 2510 and is formed in a circular shape.

The second humidification fan housing part 2532 forms the first suction space discharge part 2553, and an orifice part 2534 protruding toward the humidification impeller 2510 is formed.

The second humidifying fan housing unit 2532 has a first suction space 2551 disposed in the front, and a second suction space 2551 disposed in the rear.

The humidification impeller 2510 is a centrifugal fan that sucks air in the center and discharges air in the circumferential direction. The air discharged from the humidification impeller 2510 flows to the steam generator 2300 through the second humidification fan housing 2560.

The flow of filtered air according to the driving of the humidification motor 2520 is as follows.

When the humidification motor 2520 is driven, the humidification impeller 2510 coupled with the humidification motor 2520 rotates. When the humidification impeller 2510 is rotated, air flow is generated in the humidification fan housing 2530 and filtered air is sucked through the clean suction duct 2540.

Filtered air sucked through the clean suction duct 2540 passes through the first suction space 2551 and the first suction space discharge part 925353 of the first humidification fan housing 2550 to the second humidification fan housing 2560. Flow. The air flowing to the second humidifying fan housing 2560 is pressurized by a humidifying impeller 2510, and after flowing downward along the second humidifying fan housing 2560, the second suction opening 2562 is closed. It flows into the steam generator 2300 through.

The filtered air flowing into the steam housing 2310 through the air suction part 2318 of the steam generator 2300 is discharged to the steam discharge part 2316 together with the steam generated by the steam generator 2300.

The humidified air discharged from the steam discharge unit 2316 is branched from the main steam guide 2450 to the first branch guide 2410 and the second branch guide 2420.

The humidified air flowing through the first branch guide 2410 is discharged to the first side discharge port 301 through the first diffuser 2440, and the humidified air flowing through the second branch guide 2420 is a second diffuser. It is discharged to the second side discharge port 302 through the 2450.

The humidified air discharged from the first side discharge port 301 diffuses to the left side of the cabinet assembly 100 together with the wind generated through the short-range fan assembly 300, and humidified discharged from the second side discharge port 302 Air is diffused to the right side of the cabinet assembly 100 together with the wind generated through the short-range fan assembly 300.

5 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 5, the air conditioner includes a sensor unit 3215, a power supply unit 3223, a driving unit 3280, an operation unit 3230, a display module 3293, a memory 3256, a communication unit 3270, and an audio output. It includes a unit 3290, an audio input unit 3220, a vision module 3210, a cleaning module 4400, a humidification module 2000, and a control unit 3240 for controlling overall operation.

The power supply unit 3299 supplies operating power to the main body. The power supply unit 3299 rectifies and smoothes the commercial power to be connected to generate and supply the voltage required by each unit. The power supply unit 3299 prevents inrush current and generates a constant voltage. In addition, the power supply unit 3223 may supply operation power to an outdoor unit (not shown).

The driving unit 3280 provides driving force to rotate the fan assembly 400 at a distance. In addition, the driving unit 3280 provides power to a moving means (not shown) so that the fan assembly 400 can move at a distance. In addition, the driving unit 3280 controls opening and closing of a valve installed therein. In some cases, the driving unit 3280 may provide a driving force so that the front panel 11 slides to the left or right to move. The driving unit 3280 may be divided into a remote fan assembly driving unit, a moving means driving unit, a valve driving unit, and a front panel driving unit.

The operation unit 3230 includes at least one of a button, a switch, and a touch input means to input a user command or predetermined data into the indoor unit.

The display module 3293 is composed of display means such as LCD, LED, and OLED, and may include a touch screen in which a touch pad is layered. The display module 3293 displays operation setting or operation information of the indoor unit as a combination of at least one of texts, images, special characters, symbols, emoticons, and icons. In addition, the display module 3293 may further include a lighting unit that outputs an operating state according to whether it is lit, a lighting color, or whether it is blinking.

The audio output unit 3291 outputs voice guidance, a predetermined warning sound, and a sound effect. The audio output unit 3291 includes a buzzer or speaker. The audio input unit 3220 receives and recognizes a user's voice, and inputs a command thereto to the control unit 3240. The audio input unit 3220 includes at least one microphone.

The memory 3256 includes control data for controlling the operation of the indoor unit, data on the operation mode, data detected from the sensor unit 3215, data transmitted and received through the communication unit, data input by the operation unit, output data, and operation. Data for determining whether there is an abnormality is stored. The memory 3256 stores data that can be read by a micro processor, and is a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state disk (SSD), a silicon disk drive (SDD), ROM, RAM, and CD-ROM. , Magnetic tapes, floppy disks, and optical data storage devices.

The communication unit 3270 includes at least one communication module to transmit and receive data through wired or wireless communication.

The communication unit 3270 transmits and receives data to and from an outdoor unit (not shown), and receives data from a remote control (not shown). Further, the communication unit 3270 may be connected to a predetermined network to communicate with an external server or terminal. The communication unit 3270 transmits and receives data including short-range wireless communication such as ZigBee, Bluetooth, and infrared rays, as well as communication modules such as Wi-Fi and WiBro.

The sensor unit 3215 inputs measured data including a plurality of sensors to the control unit 3240. The sensor unit 3215 includes a proximity sensor 17, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, and a humidity sensor, and includes a water tank sensing unit.

The proximity sensor 17 detects a person or an object approaching within a predetermined distance. The proximity sensor 17 may be installed at the lower part of the main body and the front part of the base, and may also be installed adjacent to the display module 3293. The proximity sensor inputs an approach signal to the controller 3240 when a predetermined object or person approaches within a predetermined distance.

The temperature sensor is installed in the intake port to measure the indoor temperature, installed inside the body to measure the heat exchange temperature, installed at one side of the discharge port to measure the temperature of the discharged air, and installed in the refrigerant pipe to measure the refrigerant temperature. can do. The humidity sensor measures the humidity of indoor air.

The vision module 3210 captures an indoor environment including at least one image acquisition unit and detects a user's location. In addition, the vision module can detect indoor intrusion according to the operation mode. The vision module 3210 is installed on the front panel 11, and in some cases, may be installed on the upper panel of the cabinet.

The cleaning module 4400 is installed in the filter unit to clean foreign substances in the filter unit. The cleaning module includes a cleaning robot (not shown). The cleaning robot sucks foreign substances from the filter unit while moving along the surface of the filter unit. In addition, the cleaning robot may sterilize the filter unit using a sterilization lamp while cleaning the filter unit. The cleaning module 4400 may further include a position sensor that detects the position of the robot cleaner.

The humidification module 2000 receives water from the water tank 2100, performs humidification to provide moisture, and discharges humidified air to the outside. The humidification module 2000 generates steam to humidify the air, and allows the humidified air to be discharged into the room through a discharge port together with the air-conditioned air.

The humidification module 2000 may be a vibration type using vibration, a heating type, a spraying method of spraying water, and various other humidification methods may be used. The humidification module may include a humidification assembly. It should be noted that the humidification module and humidification assembly have the same reference numerals.

The controller 3240 processes input/output data, stores data in a memory, and controls data to be transmitted/received through a communication unit. The control unit 3240 sets the air conditioner to operate according to the setting input through the operation unit, transmits and receives data with the outdoor unit, and controls the driving unit 3280 so that the cold and hot air conditioned by the refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit is discharged into the room. .

The control unit 3240 detects the occupant through the vision module 3210 in response to the set operation mode or the data measured from the sensor unit 3215, the humidification module 2000 is operated to discharge the humidified air, In addition, the cleaning module 4400 is controlled so that the filter is cleaned.

In addition, the control unit 3240 controls the heat exchanged air and humidified air to be discharged together according to the operation mode.

When the smart operation is set, the control unit 3240 automatically switches between the comfortable mode and the rapid mode, and controls the heat exchanged air and the humidified air to be discharged, so that the air with controlled temperature and humidity is discharged into the room.

The controller 3240 controls the operation in a quick mode to reach a set temperature in a short time based on the sensed temperature and humidity, and controls the operation in a comfortable mode so that the temperature and humidity are kept constant.

The control unit 3240 monitors the operation state of each module and causes the operation state to be output through the display module 3293 according to the applied data.

6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a processor for controlling an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 6, the control unit 3240 may be configured with one or a plurality of micro processors.

The control unit 3240 may include a main control unit 3241, a vision module control unit 3242, a power supply control unit 3244, a lighting control unit 3244, a display module control unit 3245, a humidification module control unit 3246, and a cleaning module according to functions. It includes a control unit 3247.

Each control unit may be composed of one microprocessor, and may be installed in each module. For example, a vision module 3210, a cleaning module 3400, and a humidification module may be controlled through one microprocessor. In addition, a microprocessor is installed in each module, a vision module control unit 3242 is provided in the vision module 3210, and a humidification module control unit is provided in the humidification module to control its operation.

The main control unit applies a control command to each control unit and receives and processes data from each control unit. The main control unit and each control unit are connected in a bus format to transmit and receive data.

7 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of a humidification module of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 7, the humidifying module 2000 includes a humidifying assembly 2000.

The humidification module 2000 controls the overall operation of the steam generator 2300, the water level sensor 3330, the water tank detection unit 3340, the drain pump 3350, the temperature sensor, the humidification fan 2500, and the humidification module. It includes a humidification module control unit 3310 (3246).

The steam generator 2300 includes a steam generator 2300 that generates humidified air by converting water supplied from the water tank 2100 into fine particles.

The steam generator 2300 includes a temperature sensor for preventing overheating, and a second water level sensor 332 is installed.

The steam generator 2300 is a heating type that generates steam by heating water, an ultrasonic type that generates humidified air by making water into fine particles through vibration using an ultrasonic vibrator, a combination type that combines a heating type and an ultrasonic type, and humidifies by spraying water. Either of a centrifugal spray type that provides filtered air or a filter evaporation type that evaporates water using a wet filter may be applied.

The steam housing 2310 receives water automatically supplied from the water tank 2100.

The water level sensor 3330 is installed in the water tank 2100 and the steam housing 2310, respectively, and senses the height of the injected water. A first water level sensor 331 may be installed in the water tank 2100 and a second water level sensor 332 may be installed in the steam housing 2310.

The water level sensor 3330 detects the water level according to the amount of water in the water tank 2100 and outputs a full water signal when the water in the water tank exceeds a certain amount, and can output an air level signal when there is no water in the water tank. have.

The water level sensor 3330 may measure a water level value by at least one electrode disposed vertically. When there is water in the water tank, the water level sensor can measure the water level as the resistance value is changed by water.

In addition, the water level sensor 3330 may sense the water level through an electrode to which a signal is input according to the water level using a plurality of electrodes having different lengths, and based on the vertical axis of any one side of the water tank or steam housing 2310 The water level can be sensed through a signal detected by arranging a plurality of sensors in a row, and the water level can be sensed using signals such as ultrasonic waves, and a hose installed in the water tank 2100 or the steam housing 2310 The water level can be sensed by inserting a magnet into and changing the position of the magnet according to the water level.

The water level sensor 3330 detects the water level by mixing at least one method or a plurality of methods.

The water tank detecting unit 3340 detects the mounting state of the water tank 2100.

The water tank detection unit 3340 detects that the water tank 2100 protrudes to the front and the inlet is open or the water tank is separated from the main body. In response to a signal detected by the water tank detection unit 3340, the humidification module control unit 3310 signals to the control unit 3240 to output an error indicating that the water tank is not normally mounted through the display module 3288. Can be applied.

In response to a detection signal from the water tank detection unit 3340, a water tank icon or a water tank image may be displayed on the display module 3290, and a lamp for a water tank error may be turned on, or a guide to induce the water tank installation. A message can be printed.

The drain pump 3350 is installed in a drain hose connected to the steam housing 2310 of the steam generator 2300 to discharge water from the steam housing 2310, which is a water tank for steam, to the outside. The drainage pump 3350 starts operation according to a control command of the humidification module control unit 3310, and stops the operation when drainage is completed.

When the drain pump 3350 operates, water is drained. In addition, when the drain pump 3350 is operated, water from the steam housing 2310 is drained, and water supplied from the water tank to the steam housing 2310 through the water supply assembly 2200 is mixed and flows into the drain pump. And drained through a drain hose by a drain pump.

As the water in the steam housing 2310 is mixed with water in the water tank, the temperature may decrease.

The water supply assembly 2200 is configured such that a flow path for supplying water to the steam housing 2310 and a flow path drained from the steam housing to the drain pump are interconnected, and the heated water of the steam housing 2310 and the water tank are It is arranged so that the water is mixed.

When the humidification control unit is drained, when the water temperature of the steam housing 2310 sensed through the temperature sensor is higher than the set temperature, it may control the drainage pump so that the water is drained after cooling the water. If the water temperature of the steam housing 2310 is higher than or equal to the set temperature, the humidification control unit may damage the drain hose or the drain pump, so that when the water temperature decreases below the set temperature, drainage starts.

Even if the water temperature of the steam housing 2310 is less than the set temperature, as the water supply assembly 2200 is installed so that it is mixed with the water in the bucket and introduced into the drain pump, water having a temperature lower than the water temperature of the steam housing 2310 is It can be introduced into the drain pump.

The humidification module control unit 3310 controls to generate humidified air according to a control command of the control unit 3240. When the humidification operation is set, the control unit 3240 applies a control command according to the humidification operation to the humidification module control unit 3310, and the humidification module control unit 3310 operates the steam generator 2300 in response to the water level, temperature, and set mode. Operate to discharge the humidified air.

The humidification module control unit 3310 checks the state of the sensor during the humidification operation, and performs the humidification operation after the water boiling operation is preceded. In addition, the humidification module control unit 3310 may perform steam sterilization after the humidification operation, and controls the overall humidification operation by allowing water to cool after the humidification operation or steam sterilization.

When the smart operation is set, the humidification module control unit 3310 may operate the humidification module in response to the sensed humidity.

The humidification module control unit 3310 detects whether a water tank is installed through the water tank detection unit 3340.

The humidification module control unit 3310 determines the amount of water in the water tank through the water level sensor 3330. The humidification module control unit 3310 outputs a notification notifying that there is no water so that water is supplied when there is no water in the water tank or below a certain level.

In addition, when a water level display unit (not shown) is provided on the inner panel 141 or a part of the water tank 2100, the humidification module control unit 3310 controls the water level sensed by the water level sensor to be displayed on the water level display unit.

When the water tank is opened or removed from the main body and then installed, the humidification module control unit 3310 determines that new water has been supplied to the water tank and sets the usage time for water. The time remaining in this water tank is counted.

In addition, when the water tank is mounted, the humidification module control unit 3310 may determine whether new water is injected by comparing the water level before and after the installation of the water tank.

The humidification module control unit 3310 controls the drain pump 3350 to drain the water when the water in the water tank remains for a predetermined time or longer. The humidification module control unit 3310 allows water to be drained when the water in the water tank remains until the set usage time. In addition, the humidification module control unit 3310 may extend the use time when the use time reaches during the humidification operation.

The humidification module control unit 3310 causes a notification according to water drainage to be output through the display module, and when the drainage is completed, a notification indicating no water is outputted. In addition, the humidification module control unit 3310 initializes the use time when drainage is completed.

When water is normally supplied to the water tank, the humidification module control unit 3310 controls the first valve to supply water to the steam housing 2310, and controls the steam generator 2300 to generate humidified air.

The humidification module control unit 3310 checks whether water is supplied from the water tank to the steam housing 2310, and when the steam generator is operated, checks whether the steam heater 2320 operates normally through a change in water temperature, and detects errors accordingly. Can be printed.

The steam heater 2320 includes a plurality of heaters having different capacities, that is, the amount of heat generated per hour. The steam heater 2320 may include a first heater having a first capacity and a second heater having a second capacity. The first heater may be set to have a larger capacity than the second heater.

In addition, when humidified air is generated, the humidification module control unit 3310 allows the humidified air to be discharged to the discharge port through the steam guide 2400 connected to the steam discharge unit 2316 of the steam housing 2310. The steam guide 2400 is connected to a discharge port or an auxiliary vane, and is configured to discharge humidified air together with heat exchanged air into the interior. In addition, the steam guide 2400 may be connected to a flow path through which heat-exchanged air flows, and is discharged together with the air-conditioned air through a discharge port.

The humidification module control unit 3310 controls the steam generator to stop operating according to the water level of the water tank and the level of the steam housing, and outputs a notification about no water.

The humidification module control unit 3310 generates a predetermined signal to output a notification about the installation of the water tank, drainage, and no water, and transmits it to the display module, and accordingly notifies in at least one of an icon, an image, a notification message, and a lamp lighting. Can be output.

In addition, the humidification module control unit 3310 generates and applies a predetermined signal to the control unit to output a notification about installation of a water tank, drainage, and no water, and the control unit controls the display module 3293 to output a notification corresponding to the signal. You can do it.

8 is a diagram illustrating a flow of an operation for providing humidified air of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in Figure 8, as the humidification module 2000 is set to the humidification operation. By sensing the water level in the water tank, the amount of water required for the humidification operation is checked (S310). The humidification module can detect the water level of the water tank and check whether the water tank is installed.

In addition, the humidification module 2000 detects the level of water supplied to the steam housing, that is, the steam level (S320). Check whether water is supplied to the steam housing, and check whether the water level can operate the heater.

The humidification module 2000 may perform a preparatory operation before starting the humidification operation in the water boiling operation (S330) when the heater is at a level at which the operation is possible.

When the water temperature reaches a set temperature, for example 100 degrees, the humidification module 2000 starts a humidification operation.

When the humidification operation is finished, the humidification module 2000 performs a steam sterilization operation to sterilize a flow path through which the steam flows by generating steam according to whether or not the sterilization mode is set (S350).

When the sterilization mode is not set or when the steam sterilization operation is completed, the humidification module 2000 causes the temperature of the water in the steam housing to decrease through the water cooling operation (S360).

The humidification module 2000 generates humidified air by driving the steam generator 2300 from water boiling operation to water cooling, and controls the rotation speed of the humidification fan 2500. In addition, the humidification module 2000 may discharge humidified air into the room by changing the capacity of the heater or the number of operating heaters according to the operation.

In addition, the humidification module 2000 may count the time for water contained in the water tank, and automatically drain the water if it remains for a predetermined time or longer (S370).

9 is a diagram illustrating a flow of air according to an operation step of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in Fig. 9, humidified air flows according to the operation stage.

Figure 9 (a) is a diagram showing the flow of humidified air according to the humidification operation, Figure 9 (b) is a diagram showing the flow of humidified air during steam sterilization, and Figure 9 (c) is water cooling It is a diagram showing the flow of air during operation.

The filtered air is sucked from the air intake part 2542 and is introduced into the steam housing of the steam generator 2300.

The steam generator 2300 generates humidified air by operating a heater during a water boiling operation, a humidification operation, and a steam sterilization operation to heat the received water. On the other hand, the steam generator is in a state in which all heaters are turned off during water cooling operation. However, during the water cooling operation, some humidification may occur from the water contained in the state that the water temperature has increased due to the previous operation.

The humidified air generated from the steam generator 2300 flows to the discharge port through the steam guide 2400.

The humidification fan 2500 and the indoor fan 300 operate, and humidified air generated from the steam generator is discharged through the discharge port. As the indoor fan as well as the humidifying fan operates together, humidified air can be easily discharged.

The humidification fan 2500 may operate in three modes of sterilization wind, humidification wind, and dry wind during humidification operation. The rotation speed of the humidification fan is set to increase in the order of sterilization wind, humidification wind, and drying wind.

During humidification operation, the humidification fan operates with a humidifying wind. When setting the humidification wind, the rotation speed of the humidification fan is determined in accordance with the rotation speed of the indoor fan. In the case of steam sterilization, the humidifying fan rotates with a low-speed sterilization wind, and the steam air flows slowly. In the case of the water cooling operation, since it is an operation to reduce the temperature of the contained water and to dry the steam guide and the discharge port, the humidification fan operates with a strong dry wind.

During a humidification operation that provides humidified air, the humidification module controller sets different speeds of the humidifying fan and the indoor fan, and the heater operation of the steam generator according to each operation mode.

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 9, during a humidification operation, a steam sterilization operation, and a water cooling operation, the wind direction and the flow of humidified air may appear differently.

10 is a flowchart illustrating a water management method of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 10, when the humidification mode is set, the humidification module 2000 detects the water level of the water tank 2100 through the first water level sensor 3331 (S420).

In addition, the humidification module control unit 3310 counts the use time of water contained in the water tank 2100 and determines whether the water use time has reached so as not to remain in the water container for a predetermined time or longer (S430).

When the water use time is reached, the humidification module control unit 3310 operates the drain pump to drain the water stored in the water tank and the steam generator (S435).

Meanwhile, the humidification module control unit 3310 may extend the water use time when the water use time reaches during the humidification operation. According to the setting, the humidification module control unit 3310 may be drained when the humidification operation is terminated or may be automatically drained when the extended time is reached by extending it for a certain period of time.

When water is drained, the humidification module control unit 3310 applies a no-water notification to the control unit, and a no-water warning is displayed through the display module.

When the water use time has not been reached, the humidification module control unit 3310 determines whether the water level of the water tank is a level capable of humidifying operation according to whether or not the sterilization mode is set (S440).

Since a larger amount of water is required than the humidification operation to perform the sterilization mode, it is determined whether the water level of the water tank is higher than the first level (S450).

When the sterilization mode is released, it is determined whether or not the second water level is higher than that set by the amount of water required for humidification operation (S460).

The water level of the water tank can be determined by dividing it into a plurality of levels, and it can be classified into no water, minimum water level for humidification operation, steam sterilization level, and full water.

The first level means more water than the second level. For example, the first water level is set to be about 250 cc to 500 cc higher than the second level. The second water level is set to the minimum water level in which humidification operation is possible.

When the sterilization mode is set, the humidification module control unit 3310 determines that there is no water when the sterilization mode is set, and when the sterilization mode is released, it determines that there is no water when the sterilization mode is less than the second level.

When water is insufficient, a water-free notification is transmitted to the control unit, and accordingly, a water-free warning may be displayed on the display module (S480).

After notifying that there is no water, the humidification module control unit 3310 waits for a predetermined time (S490), and determines whether new water is supplied to the water tank through a change in the water level of the first water level sensor (S500).

When water is supplied, the humidification module control unit 3310 starts a humidification operation according to the sensed water level (S420 to S470).

On the other hand, if water is not supplied even after waiting for a certain period of time, the humidification module control unit 3310 releases the humidification mode (S510). In addition, a warning about releasing the humidification mode due to insufficient water can be output.

11 is a flow chart showing a method of boiling water operation of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 11, the humidification module 2000 performs a water boiling operation as a preparatory work before starting the humidification operation.

When the humidification operation is possible by detecting the water level of the water tank, the humidification module control unit 3310 detects the level of water stored in the steam housing, that is, the steam level through the second water level sensor (S550).

It is determined whether the steam level is equal to or higher than the eleventh level (S560). The eleventh water level is set to a level at which the heater of the steam generator is immersed in water to generate humidified air. If the heater is exposed without being submerged in water, it can overheat and lead to an accident. Accordingly, the humidification module control unit 3310 determines that the steam generator is operable if the steam level is equal to or higher than the eleventh level.

If the steam level is less than the 11th level, the humidification module control unit 3310 determines that the operation is impossible, waits a predetermined number of times (S570), waits for a predetermined time (S580), and re-detects the water level (S580).

The humidification module control unit 3310 compares the water level of the steam housing 2310 at predetermined time intervals, and determines whether or not water supply is normally performed accordingly through a change in the water level in the steam housing.

Water from the water tank 2100 is automatically supplied to the steam generator 2300 and accommodated in the steam housing 2310. Therefore, when the water level of the water tank 2100 is above the first level, the steam housing is generally full, but when the water from the water tank is newly supplied, it takes a certain time to supply water from the water tank to the steam generator. In consideration of this newly supplied case, the humidification module control unit 3310 may determine a change in water level at predetermined time intervals.

The humidification module control unit 3310 may first determine whether the steam level is equal to or higher than the eleventh level, and secondly determine the water level after waiting for the first time. The first time may be set based on a time required to supply water from the water tank to the eleventh water level based on the water level in the steam housing. After the first time, the humidification module control unit 3310 may determine the water level change multiple times in a second time unit shorter than the first time. When the steam generator reaches the eleventh water level during the water level determination, it can immediately start boiling.

The humidification module control unit 3310 determines that water is not supplied from the water tank to the steam housing when the steam level does not reach the 11th level so that the first hour or more elapses in a situation where the water level of the water tank is higher than the first level. I can.

The humidification module control unit 3310 may output an error regarding water supply (S700). When an error occurs, the humidification module control unit 3310 determines that the humidification operation is no longer possible and releases the humidification mode (S710).

When the water above the 11th level is accommodated in the steam housing, the humidification module control unit 3310 first senses the water temperature (S590), and then starts the water boiling operation (S600).

The humidification module control unit 3310 operates a plurality of heaters of the steam generator in response to the frequency of the compressor. The humidification module control unit 3310 operates both the first heater and the second heater when the operating frequency of the compressor is higher than the set frequency (M) (S620), and operates the first heater when the compressor operating frequency is less than the set frequency. Create air. If the operating frequency of the compressor is high, the load is high, so the heater operates both heaters accordingly.

When the steam generator starts to operate, the humidification module control unit 3310 controls the humidification fan to operate (ON) at a low speed of the first speed (S640).

During the water boiling operation, the humidification fan may operate at a first speed, that is, a low-speed sterilization wind. The humidification fan can operate at a first speed of about 1000-1120 rpm in a sterilizing wind. At this time, the air volume at the outlet may be 0.25CMM.

The water boiling operation is not a humidification purpose, but a preparatory operation to provide quick humidified air prior to this operation, the humidification operation, so that the humidified air flows slowly. In addition, while the humidified air slowly flows in the water boiling operation, the steam guide and the discharge port can be sterilized prior to the humidification operation. In addition, when the main humidifying fan is operated at high speed, it is preferable to rotate it at a low speed since water in the steam housing may flow backward by the humidifying fan.

After the heater is operated, the water temperature is re-sensed from the temperature sensor after a set time (S650). For example, the temperature difference can be detected after about 5 to 10 minutes. For example, after 7 minutes, the water temperature can be detected again.

The humidification module control unit 3310 compares the temperature values before and after operating the heater to determine whether the temperature difference between the water temperature is greater than or equal to the set temperature T (S660), and if the temperature difference is less than the set temperature, it determines as an error ( S700). When an error occurs, the humidification module control unit 3310 determines that the humidification operation is no longer possible and releases the humidification mode (S710). The set temperature T is preferably set to a minimum value of the temperature difference that can be generated by heating for 5 to 10 minutes by heating with a heater having the amount of water accommodated in the steam generator. For example, the set temperature may be about 10 degrees.

On the other hand, if the temperature difference is greater than or equal to the set temperature, it is determined that the heater operates normally, maintains the operation, and generates humidified air.

The humidification module control unit 3310 detects the water temperature and determines whether the first temperature, which is the target temperature, is reached (S670).

When the water temperature reaches the first temperature, which is the target temperature, the humidification module control unit 3310 stops the heater (OFF) and completes the water boiling operation (S690).

The humidification module control unit 3310 operates the heater until the water temperature reaches the target temperature and, on the other hand, counts the time based on the heater operation time point to determine whether or not the eleventh time is reached (S680). When the target temperature is not reached so that the eleventh time elapses, the humidification module control unit 3310 stops the heater and completes the water boiling operation (S690).

12 is a flowchart illustrating a humidification operation method of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 12, when boiling of water is completed (S740), as described above, the humidification module control unit 3310 stops the heater (OFF).

The humidification module control unit 3310 does not stop the humidification fan 2500 and changes the rotational speed of the humidification fan to continuously operate. The humidification fan 2500 changes its mode from sterilizing wind to humidifying wind. The humidified wind rotates at a higher speed than the sterilizing wind, and the rotational speed is set corresponding to the rotational speed of the indoor fan 300.

When the rotational speed of the humidification fan 2500 is increased, the rotational speed is not immediately changed to the target rotational speed, but the speed is increased in steps of a predetermined unit. For example, the rotational speed is not immediately increased from 1120rpm of sterilizing wind to 2000 to 2500rpm of humidified wind, but the speed is increased step by step in a fixed time unit. The air volume at the discharge port is about 0.45cmm to 0.5 cmm.

For example, a humidifying fan can increase its rotation speed by 50 rpm per minute. If the rotational speed of the humidification fan is rapidly changed, there is a problem that the temperature of the water supply pipe rises due to the humidification air being concentrated in the water supply pipe.

If the current speed of the indoor fan is higher than the reference speed, the humidification module control unit 3310 rotates the humidifying fan at a third speed (S770), and if the rotation speed of the indoor fan is less than the reference speed, it is faster than the first speed and the third It can rotate at a second speed slower than the speed (S780).

The humidification module control unit 3310 detects the temperature of water inside the steam generator through a temperature sensor while operating the humidifying fan in a state in which the heater is stopped (S790).

When the water temperature decreases below the second temperature (S800), the humidification module control unit 3310 operates the heater of the steam generator. The first temperature described above may be set within a range of 95 to 100 degrees based on 100 degrees, which is the boiling point of water, and the second temperature may be set based on a temperature at which humidified air does not occur. The second temperature may be about 65-70 degrees.

If the space is large, the humidification module operates the first heater to perform a humidification operation, and if the space is narrow, the humidification operation is performed by operating the second heater.

The humidification module control unit 3310 may operate the first heater (ON) (S820) or the second heater (ON) according to the size of the space in which the indoor unit is installed (S830). The first heater is a heater having a larger capacity than the second heater.

After the heater is operated, the humidification module control unit 3310 determines whether the water temperature of the steam generator reaches the first temperature (S840). When it reaches the first temperature, the heater is turned off.

The humidification module control unit 3310 operates the humidifying fan with humidifying wind until the humidification mode is released or the humidification operation is terminated, and stops the heater when the water temperature reaches the first temperature. The heater is repeatedly operated while reaching the temperature (S790 to S860). Accordingly, the humidification module discharges humidified air.

When the humidification mode is released or the humidification operation is terminated, the humidification module control unit 3310 terminates the humidification operation (S890).

On the other hand, when water is insufficient during the humidification operation (S870), the humidification module control unit 3310 transmits a notification about the absence of water so that a warning is output (S880). The humidification module control unit 3310 may stop the humidification operation due to insufficient water. At this time, if water is supplied to the water tank after waiting for a predetermined time, the humidification operation can be restarted.

13 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating a water type force of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 13, when the humidification operation is finished (S910), the humidification module control unit 3310 determines whether the sterilization mode is set (S920), and determines whether or not there is insufficient water by sensing the water level of the water tank. (S930). When the sterilization mode and the sterilization mode are cancelled, the water level is determined respectively. When water is sufficient in the sterilization mode, the humidification module control unit 3310 performs a steam sterilization operation (S940). In the steam sterilization operation, the humidification fan operates with a low-speed sterilization wind, and the heater operates both the first and second heaters to sterilize the steam guide and the discharge port.

When the sterilization mode is not set after the humidification operation is finished, or when steam sterilization cannot be performed due to insufficient water, the humidification module control unit 3310 starts a water cooling operation (S950).

The water cooling operation is an operation for cooling the temperature of the water inside the steam generator heated by the humidification operation.

The humidification module control unit 3310 stops the operation of the heater (S960), and changes the mode of the humidifying fan from the humidified wind to the third mode, dry wind (S970). The humidification fan 2500 rotates with dry wind, which is the maximum air volume, and may operate at a fourth speed that is higher than the third speed (S980).

As described above, the humidification fan increases the speed step by step in a predetermined time unit. Dry wind is to cool water and remove moisture from humidification operation at the same time, and is set to rotate at a higher speed than humidification wind. For example, the rotational speed is set within the range of 3000 to 3300 rpm. The air volume at the discharge port should be about 0.6 to 0.7 cmm.

The humidification module control unit 3310 detects the water temperature and determines whether the water temperature reaches a third temperature lower than the second temperature (S990). The third temperature is preferably set to a temperature that does not damage the drain pump or drain hose when mixed with water in the water tank.

The humidification module control unit 3310 reduces the speed of the humidification fan 2500 when the water temperature inside the steam generator reaches the third temperature.

Until the operation of the humidifying fan is stopped (S1010), the speed of the humidification fan is gradually decreased in units of a predetermined time (S1020 to S1010).

When the humidification fan stops, the humidification module control unit 3310 ends the water cooling operation (S1030).

The humidification module control unit 3310 checks whether the water use time has reached (S1040) and maintains the water in the water tank when the water use time has not been reached.

On the other hand, when the water usage time is reached, the drain pump is operated (S1050), so that the water in the water tank and the steam generator are all drained. When the drainage of water is completed, a notification of no water is displayed (S1070).

At this time, if the water temperature inside the steam generator before draining is higher than the third temperature, the humidification module control unit 3310 may damage the drain pump or the drain hose, and thus start draining when the temperature is below the third temperature. In addition, when drainage is started, water of a temperature lower than the temperature of water inside the steam generator may be introduced into the drain pump as the water of the steam generator and the water of the water tank are mixed and introduced into the drain pump.

14 is a flowchart illustrating a method of automatically controlling temperature and humidity of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 14, even if the humidification mode is not set, the humidification operation may be performed during a cooling or heating operation in which heat-exchanged air is discharged. When the smart care mode is set, the controller causes the indoor unit to operate in one of a quick mode and a comfortable mode, and changes the mode according to temperature and humidity.

When the smart care mode is set (S1100), the control unit controls the compressor and fan by first setting the rapid mode (S1110).

The control unit operates (ON) the circulator 400 and the indoor fan 300 according to the rapid mode (S1120). At this time, the circulator is a far-end fan and the indoor fan is a short-range fan.

In addition, the control unit adjusts the valve and operates the compressor to start the heating operation (S1130).

The controller detects the indoor temperature by measuring the temperature of the air sucked through the temperature sensor, and during heating operation, when the indoor temperature reaches the first reference temperature, it cancels the rapid mode and switches to the comfortable mode (S1150).

The controller stops the operation of the circulator according to the setting of the comfort mode (S1160), and senses the temperature and humidity of the room (S1170). The temperature sensor detects the indoor temperature, and the humidity sensor detects the relative humidity. The temperature sensor and the humidity sensor may be respectively installed at the inlet, and in some cases, may be installed on a remote control. In addition, the temperature and humidity sensor may be configured as one device.

If the humidity is greater than or equal to the first humidity, the control unit stops the previously executed humidification operation (S1190). When the humidification operation is stopped, keep it stopped.

When the humidity is lower than the first humidity and higher than the second humidity, the first heater is stopped and the second heater having a small capacity is operated to perform a humidification operation.

Meanwhile, when the humidity is lower than the second humidity, the first heater is operated and the second heater is stopped to perform a humidification operation (S1210).

The control unit applies a control command to the humidification module control unit and, if the humidification operation is already being performed, checks the operation status of the heater and controls the heater to maintain the humidification operation, and when the humidification operation is not performed, the humidification operation starts. .

At the start of the humidification operation, as described above, the water boiling operation can be started first. During the humidification operation, water management, water boiling operation, humidification operation, steam sterilization operation, and water cooling operation described above may be performed. However, since the humidification operation can be repeatedly executed and stopped, it is preferable that the steam sterilization operation and the water disinfection operation are performed at the point when all operations are finished.

In addition, the control unit compares the desired temperature and the room temperature, and maintains the comfortable mode when the temperature difference between the desired temperature and the desired temperature is a predetermined temperature (S1240).

On the other hand, when the temperature difference is greater than or equal to a predetermined temperature (S1230), the comfort mode is released and the mode is switched to the rapid mode (S1110). Accordingly, it is possible to control the fan and maintain the quick mode according to whether the first reference temperature is reached or to switch to the comfortable mode to control the operation according to the temperature and humidity.

Accordingly, the indoor unit of the air conditioner can set a smart care mode to prevent frequent on-off and provide an indoor environment in which a constant temperature and humidity are maintained through automatic mode switching between the comfortable mode and the rapid mode without any additional setting. .

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but may be manufactured in various different forms, and those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. It will be understood that the present invention can be implemented in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features of the present invention. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are illustrative in all respects and not limiting.

100: cabinet assembly 200: door assembly
300: near fan assembly 400: far fan assembly
600: filter assembly
1200: door cover assembly 1500: display module
1900: camera module 2000: humidification assembly
2100: water tank
2200: water supply assembly 2300: steam generator
2400: steam guide 2500: humidifying fan

Claims (21)

A fan composed of a near fan assembly and a far fan assembly to discharge airflow;
A cabinet assembly in which the suction port and the discharge port are arranged;
A water tank disposed on the cabinet assembly and storing water;
A steam generator disposed in the cabinet assembly, receiving water stored in the water tank, and converting water stored therein to steam to generate humidified air;
A humidifying fan coupled to the steam generator and supplying filtered air to the steam generator; And
During the heating operation by controlling the operation of the compressor and the fan, the steam generator is operated to discharge the humidified air together with the heat exchanged air, and the operation is controlled in a smart care mode in which temperature and humidity are constantly adjusted. An air conditioner comprising a control unit. The method according to claim 1,
When the smart care mode is set, the control unit automatically switches the mode by executing one of a quick mode and a comfortable mode, and adjusts the indoor temperature and humidity. The method according to claim 2,
The control unit is an indoor unit of an air conditioner, characterized in that when setting the rapid mode, when the indoor temperature reaches a desired temperature, the control unit cancels the rapid mode and switches to the comfortable mode. The method according to claim 2,
And the control unit releases the comfort mode and switches to the rapid mode when a temperature difference between the indoor temperature and the desired temperature is greater than or equal to a set temperature. The method according to claim 2,
The control unit operates both the near-field fan assembly and the far-field fan assembly when the rapid mode is set, so that the indoor temperature reaches a desired temperature. The method according to claim 2,
When the comfort mode is set, the control unit operates the remote fan assembly among the fans in response to the sensed indoor temperature and indoor humidity, and determines whether or not a humidification operation by the steam generator is performed. The method of claim 6,
The control unit stops the steam generator when the indoor humidity is greater than or equal to the first humidity, and operates the steam generator to perform a humidification operation when the indoor humidity is less than the second humidity lower than the first humidity. The method of claim 7,
The control unit is an indoor unit of an air conditioner, characterized in that when the indoor humidity is within the range of the first humidity to the second humidity, a heater having a small capacity among the plurality of heaters of the steam generator operates. The method of claim 6,
Further comprising a humidification module including the steam generator and the humidification fan,
When the humidification module performs the humidification operation according to a control command of the control unit,
The indoor unit of an air conditioner, characterized in that before performing the humidification operation, after the water inside the steam generator reaches a certain temperature through a water boiling operation, the humidification operation is performed. The method of claim 9,
The humidification module, characterized in that in the case of any one of the case where the heating operation is terminated, the smart care mode is canceled, and when the humidification operation is finally terminated, performs a steam sterilization operation or a water cooling operation in stages. Indoor unit of the harmonic unit. The method of claim 9,
During the water boiling operation,
The steam generator operates any one of a first heater and a second heater provided in the steam generator in response to the operating frequency of the compressor,
The humidifying fan is an indoor unit of an air conditioner, characterized in that operating with a low-speed sterilizing wind. The method of claim 9,
The humidification module stops the water boiling operation when the temperature of the water stored inside the steam generator reaches a first temperature, which is a set temperature, or reaches a specified time period. The indoor unit of the unit. The method of claim 9,
The steam generator, during the humidification operation,
Operate any one of the first heater and the second heater in response to the size of the indoor space,
The humidifying fan is an indoor unit of an air conditioner, characterized in that the humidifying fan operates as a humidifying wind whose rotational speed is determined in response to the rotational speed of the nearby fan assembly. The method of claim 13,
The humidification module controls the operation of the steam generator so that during the humidification operation, the temperature of the water stored in the steam generator maintains a range of a second temperature to a first temperature set higher than the second temperature. Indoor unit of air conditioner made by The method of claim 10,
The humidification module stops the steam generator during the water cooling operation, sets the humidifying fan to dry wind of the maximum air volume to reduce the temperature of the water stored in the steam generator, and the humidified air flows steam. An indoor unit of an air conditioner, characterized in that drying the guide and the discharge port. The method of claim 15,
The humidification module operates the humidifying fan with the dry wind until the water temperature reaches a third temperature set lower than the second temperature during the water cooling operation,
When the water temperature reaches the third temperature, the rotational speed of the humidifying fan is gradually decreased to stop the operation of the air conditioner. The method of claim 10,
The humidification module is an indoor unit of an air conditioner, characterized in that during the steam sterilization operation, all of the plurality of heaters of the steam generator are operated and the humidification fan is operated with a low-speed sterilization wind. When the smart care mode is set, starting the heating operation in the rapid mode;
Discharging heat-exchanged airflow by operating both the near-field fan assembly and the far-field fan assembly;
Converting the rapid mode to a comfortable mode when the indoor temperature reaches a desired temperature;
Sensing the indoor temperature and indoor humidity while operating in the comfortable mode;
Performing a humidification operation by operating a steam generator so that the indoor humidity is maintained within a specified humidity range; And
And when the temperature difference between the indoor temperature and the desired temperature reaches a predetermined value, releasing the comfort mode and converting to the rapid mode. The method of claim 18,
Among the comfort modes,
Stopping the humidification operation when the indoor humidity is higher than the specified humidity range;
When the indoor humidity is lower than the specified humidity range, performing the humidification operation;
When the indoor humidity is within the specified humidity range, the control method of an indoor unit further comprising changing a capacity of a heater of the steam generator and performing the humidification operation. The method of claim 18,
When performing the above humidification operation,
Before starting the humidification operation, performing a water boiling operation to increase the temperature of the water stored in the inside of the steam generator; air conditioner control method further comprising a. The method of claim 18,
When the humidification operation is finished, the control method of the air conditioner further comprising the step of performing a steam sterilization operation or a water disinfection operation.

Images